Musical instrument



A. P. GUSTAFSON.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, I918- 1,403,357. Patented Jan. 10,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET A. P. GUSTAFSON.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1918.

1,403,357, Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IIIIIIIIIf/Jl/l/l/ A. P. GUSTAFSON.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 191B.

66796777577 Walp/zffiasfafsm UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH P. GUSTAFSON. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNCR- TO M. SCHULZ COMPANY, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed July 24,

To all infirm. it may concern.

Be it known that I, Anonrrr P. GUSTAFSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, ha e invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, conelse, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to musical instruments and especially to pianos and player pianos.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an arrangement by which accent effects can be obtained during playing.

1; further object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement which shall be simple, practical, easily constructed and mounted, easily taken care of and repaired, and efiicient in action.

In the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a player piano having an accent arrangement embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the portion of the mechanism relating more particularly to the accent arrangement;

Fig. 3 is a view of the same looking up from below;

Fig. 1 is a cross section taken on line 44 in Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 in Fig. 1. but on a reduced scale;

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

F ig. 7 is a view of a detail of construction;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a detail view.

In the drawings I show the upper part of a player piano having keys 1, a keyboard 2, strings 3, a piano action 1 having hammers 5, and a pneumatic action 6 for operating the piano action l. There is also a tracker board 7 for a music sheet 8 carried by rolls 9 and 10, the tracker board 7 being connected in the usual manner by tubes 11 with the pneumatic action 6.

In accordance with my invention I provide a plurality of members 12 which may be interposed between .the hammers 5 and the strings 3. Each one of these members 12 is of such size or width as to come between a plurality of hammers and the strings therefor, each member 12, as it were, being Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

1818. Serial No. 246,428.

in.erposed between a certain set or series hammers and strings. In the drawings 1 show four such members 12, see for example Fig. 2. so that if eighty-eight of the notes of the piano are played by the player action. as is very customary at the present time. each of said members 12 will be interposed between, or block off about one quarter or twenty-two of the piano hammers. It is not necessary to divide the eighty-eight hammers into four equal parts, as it will be desirable in some instances to have more or loss than an exact twenty-two present in cacn set or group of notes.

These members 12 are of some suitable material for receiving the blows of the hammers and transmitting the same to the string; so that the sound given out by the strings will be weaker than if the hammer struck the string direct. I find felt to be asatisfactory material. of this character, thus when any one of the members 12 is iuterposed between its set or group of hammers and he corresponding strings. when any one of these hammers is actuated, the strings wi l respond but in aweaker or quieter manner than normal so that any one of such notes being sounded will be subdued. As a result by the movement of an one or more of the members or curtains 12 in between its hammers and strings the accentuation of the piece being played can be accomplished, the notes where the members or cur tains 12 are interposed being struck more lightly either piano or pianissimo, whereas hose where the curtains are not interposed will be sounded more strongly. either forte or fortissimo.

I As a preii'erred arrangement for ing or manipulating these member or curtains 12 I show the same mounted upon a suitable supporting member 13 and arranged in connection with suitable pneumatic mechanism actuated by a plurality of buttons 14, by which any one of said curtains 12 may be actuated by pushing the proper button 14. As a preferred arrangement the curtains 12 are normally in a lowered position and may be individually and independently raised by pressing the proper button 1 1. To such end each curtain 12 is carried by two pneumatics 15-45 which are secured to the under side of the member 13. Each pneumatic'15 is controlled by a valve 16 located in a valve chamber 17 from actuati a block 25 securedto said member 13, there being two tubes 24 to each block 25, said two tubes 24 being for the two pneumatics for asingle curtain 12. .From each block 25 a tube or pipe 26 is extended downwardly and forwardly within the body of the player piano to the front portion of the same. as shown in Fig. 1. Connection is made by each tube 26 with a duct or passage 2. in the keyboard 2 and this duct or passage is extended forwardly and connected with a flexible tubular member 28 carrying an elbow shaped member 29 (Fig. 7), which is adjustable against a block. 30 so that the members-29 andr30 serve as a valve and valve seat. A lever 31 is pivotally mounted at 32ml connectedwith the member 29 so that said member 29 may be adjusted by the swinging of the lever 31. A spring 33 tends to hold'the lever 31 upwardly'in position to close the valve 29 against its seat 'These last mentioned parts are conveniently arranged within a recessor chamber 34 in the front portion. of the keyboard. The button 14 is mounted in a small recess 35 1n the keyboard and provided with '7 a pin or rod 36 which extends down'to the lever 31so that said lever may be actuated by (lGPIGSSlIlgtll-Q button 14. Thus when one of the buttons 14 is acti ated the corre- .sponding lever 31 is depresse'ch therebyad Initting air into the tube 29 whence such air passesmto the tube 26, and from thence through the tubes 24 and passages 23 and into the small pneumatics 19 which imme diately thereupon expands because of internal pressure, the chamber 20 being a vacuum chamber connected with the wind inducing apparatus of the instrument This expansion of the pneumatics 19 causes the depression of the valves 16, thereby opening the passages 18 and establishing communication between the vacuum chamber 20 and-the lnterlor. of the pneumatic 15 and causing a the instantaneous collapse of the latter;

These 'two pneumatics 19 thus being simultaneously actuated will raise the curtain 12 which they control and thus this curtain 'will be withdrawn from position bet-ween its hammers and their strings, thereby permitting: such hammers to strike relativelv strong'and hard blows and produce relatively strong or loud notes The :t'our buttons 14 may obviously be controlled by the tour fingers of the players hand so that any one or more of said buttons may be actu- V ated and any set or series of notes controlled be so shifted as-to throw all of the curtains 12 into and out of position between their hammers and strings. To such end I have shown a rod 38 connected pivotally with the rear of the member 13 as at 39 and extended down so that its end is below the keyboard 2, the lower end of such rod being engaged by a lever 40 on a cross rod 41, which latter is supported in bearings 42 on the bottom of the keyboard. 2. A hand lever 43 is mounted at the front end of the rod 41' Thus a turning movement of the handle 43 by the" hand of the operator will cause a turning of the rod 41'and movement otthe crank member 40'so that the rod 38 will be vertically adjustedand thereby the member 13 will be actuated so as to raise or lower the curtains'12 out or and into effective position themember 13 being pivotally-mounted at 45, as shown in Fig. 3.

' It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim'is:

1. The combination with the piano hams devices adapted for interposition between the hammers and strings, pneumatics on which saidfdamping devices are mounted and a support carrying said pneumatics said 'gupport being provided with windways and valve'mechanism for operating 'said pneumatics, said support extending crosswise'of the piano in front of the strings and being pivotally mounted at its front edgeso that it rear edge maybe swung up and down to insert said damping devicesbetweenthe hammers and strings and withdraw the same'therefrom. i

3. The combination with the piano ham mers and strings of a plurality of damping devices adapted for interposition between the hammer and strings, pneumatics on which said damping devices are mounted "and a support carrying said pneumatics,

the piano *ham-f said support being provided with windways and valve mechanism tor operating said pneumatics, said support being mounted to permit it to be moved bodily so as to interpose said damping devices between the hammers and strings and to withdraw the same therefrom, and means for moving said support, said means being extended torwardly to the front part of the piano near the heyboard.

t. The combination with the piano hammers and trings of a plurality'ot curtains adapted to be interposed between said hammers and strings. a wind chest extending crosswise ot the piano and supporting said curtains. said wind chest being pivotally mounteo at its ends to permit it to swing up and down to shift the positions of all of the curtains simultaneously. and a plurality of pneumatic mechanisms for independently controlling the plurality of curtains, said mechanisms being supported by said wind chest.

The combination with the piano hammers and strings of a plurality of curtains adapted to be interposed between said hammer and strings. a wind chest extending crosswise of the piano and supporting said curtains. said wind chest being pivotally mounted at its ends to permit it to swing up and down to shift the positions of all of the curtains simultaneously,and a plurahty of pneumatic mechanisms for independently controlling the plurality of ourtains said mechanisms being supported by said wind chest, and means forcontrolling said pneumatic mechanisms, said means extending from said wind chest downwardly and forwardly to the neighborhood of the piano. keyboard.

6. The combination with the piano hammers and strings of a plurality of curtains adapted to be interposed between the ham merg and strings. a plurality of sets of pneumatics carrying said curtains, there eing two pneumatics for each curtain. a support to the under side of which said pneumatics are secured. said support being provided with windways and pneumatic mechanism for controlling said pneumatics.

its ends to permit it to swing or tilt so as to allow the curtains to be interposed between the string and hammers and removed therefrom and means for operating said support.

7. The combination with the piano hammers and strings, of a plurality of curtains arranged to be interposed between the hammers and strings, a wind chestextending crosswise of the strings and pivoted at its ends, means fol-swinging said wind chest about its pivotal mounting, pneumatic mechanism mounted on the under side of said wind chest, the latter being provided with means for controlling said mechanism, said mechanism supporting and controlling the independent curtains and pneumatic connections for said wind chest, said connections extending to the, same at or near its point of pivotal support. said means for controlling said wind chest comprising a rod pivotally' connected with the wind chest and mechanical connections extending downwardly and forwardly to the neigh borhood of the pian keyboard.

9. The combination with the piano hammers and strings, of a plurality of curtains arranged to be interposed between the hammers and strings, a wind chest extending crosswise of the strings and pivoted at its ends, means for swinging said wind chest about its pivotal mounting, pneumatic mechanism mounted on the under side of said wind chest, the latter being provided with means for controlling said mechanism, said mechanism supporting and controlling the independent curtains and pneumatic actions for said wind chest, said connections extending to the same at or near its point of pivotal support, and said pneumatic mechanisms each comprising a pair of hinged pneumatics having their fixed members secured to the under side of the wind chest and independent controlling connections for each pair of pneumatics.

10. The combination with the piano hammers and strings of a plurality of curtains arranged to be interposed between the ham- Iners and strin s a wind chest extendin said support being pivotally mounted at crosswise of the strings and pivoted at its ends, means for swinging said wind chest about its pivotal mounting, pneumatic mechanism mounted on the under side of said wind c-hest,'the latter being provided with mean for controlling said mechanism, said mechanism supporting and controlling the independent curtains and pneumatic ac tions for said wind chest, said connections extending to the same at or near its point of pivotal support, and said pneumatic mechanisms each comprising a pair of hinged pneumatics having their fixed'members secured to'the under side of the wind chest'and independent controlling connec tions for each pair of pneumatics, said connections comprising pneumatic tubes extending downwardly and forwardly and buttons therefor in the neighborhood of the piano keyboard.

11. The combination withthe piano hammers and strings, of a plurality of curtains arranged to be interposed between the hammers and strings, a wind chest extending crosswise of the strings andpivoted at its ends, means for swinging said wind chest about its pivotal mounting, pneumatic mechanism mounted on the under. side: of

said Wind chest, the latterbeing provided with means for controlling said mechanism, said mechanism supporting and controlling the independent curtains and pneumatic actions' for said wind chest, said connections extendlng to the same at or near-its point of pivotal support, and said pneumatic mechanisms each comprising a pair of hinged pneumatics having their fixed members secured tothe under side'of the wind chest and independent controlling connections for each pair of pneumatics, said connections comprislng pneumatictubes ex- 7 

